I Have You
by MsRainey
Summary: Alternate Universe fic. Tifa X Cloud ClotiTifa and Cloud are best friends. Can they be something more? Abusive stepdad. High School. Drama. Other pairings include ZackAeris YuffieVincent
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own FFVII **R/R!!**

**A/N:** This is a different non game fic. Completely different reality. Cloti. Duh! **Enjoy! **

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She hurried up to her room, stumbling on the stairs, along the way. She tore open the door and threw herself into her room, leaned against the closed door and cried silently to herself.

Stupid jackass had some nerve to hit her...

...Again.

Her cell phone went off and she slid over to where her bag was thrown carelessly on the floor.

**Cloud** . The screen flashed.

She smiled at the though of him. Her best friend, and secret crush. No, not even crush! She was completely in love with him. Yet, she was just too afraid to tell him.

Afraid that after the 11 years she had been friends with him, he would become some distant memory if she told him. She couldn't do that. She hadn't had the courage after all these years.

She shook her head and answered the phone.

"Hello?" She scolded herself for her shaky voice.

"Teef! Thank goodness you answered. I was so worried. What happened? Are you okay? I've been trying to call you for an hour."

She released a shaky breath. "No, don't worry Cloud, I'm fine. Just a lot of work, and I fell asleep."

She absolutely hated lying to Cloud, but sometimes she knew it was the right thing. She could practically feel him nod from his phone.

"Okay. You just left in a hurry. I was worried."

She smiled at how sweet he could be. He had known about her stepfather and how he was abusive. Ever since her father died, her mother had become deranged and very distant, leaving Tifa to "babysit" her son of a bitch step dad Ray.

The only good out of their marriage was the bond of her and her stepsister Yuffie. She was 15 and Tifa was 17. That didn't stop them from crying on each other's shoulders when Ray came home drunk and beat them.

Sure, they could tell people about it to prevent it, but they both agreed that they did not want to go to foster homes. If either of them had any family that would have definitely been the place for them to go, but they didn't.

Cloud had always been there for her. Even if it was, sadly, just platonic. Yuffie had her boyfriend Vincent to help her through her troubles. Vince was a very handsome 18 year old and Tifa had had her doubts about him; But when she saw how kind and devoted he was to Yuffie, she had let her worries at ease.

The boys never did anything or tell anyone about their situation to anybody from the pleas of the girls, and both had reluctantly agreed to keep it secret.

"Oh, my mom needed me here at home to help with something." She replied.

She heard him breath in a deep breath.

"Well, alright..." He didn't sound convinced, but let it go anyway. "Do you need a ride to work?" He asked changing the subject.

Tifa immediately sprang off the floor and looked at the clock.

"Oh no! I completely forgot about that! I'm going to be late!" She yelled frantically digging through her closet, looking for her apron. She worked at a restaurant called _**'Wallace Eatin'!'.**_

Cloud grinned and was glad Tifa couldn't see through the phone, because she would probably smack him for being amused by her rushed antics.

"Don't worry Teef, I'll be there in 15 minutes." He told her trying to ease her hastiness. He heard a shriek and the line go fuzzy for a second, followed be a "Hello?"

"Tifa?" He asked.

"Oh my goodness Cloud! I'm so sorry. I forgot that you.. and then I was looking for my.. and then-" she stopped when she heard him chuckle.

"You need to relax Tifa. I'll see you in a bit." He replied.

"Okay," she sighed while rubbing her forehead. "Thank you Cloud."

He smiled. "Anytime Teef."

They both hung up and sighed, hoping they could tell one another how they felt.

Tifa quickly changed her outfit and went into Yuffie's room to look for the concealer. Ugh, that swelling black eye did not look good.

What could she think of? Fell down the stairs... No she used that last time. Uhm...

Tifa thought of many excuses to tell her boss and finally came up with the classic, "walking into a door" excuse.

Barret Wallace, her boss was definitely a father figure in her life and she loved him to death. He too had known about her issues but kept quiet for Tifa's sake. He loved Tifa like his own and was glad when she would babysit his little Marlene.

After she fixed herself up Tifa heard the roar of the Fenrir outside and rushed down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Ray asked from the couch.

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to work, so we can pay the bills here." She retorted.

"Don't talk back to me you wretched girl!" He snapped, turning to glare at her.

She felt her fist clench and sucked in a breath. "I'm leaving."

She walked out the door and ran to Fenrir.

"Thanks Cloud, I-" she stopped mid sentence when Cloud gently grabbed her chin. She pulled away and heard him sigh.

"It's nothing." She told him.

He frowned and shook his head.

"Tifa, you need an ice pack. It's swelling."

She shook her head and looked at her cell clock.

"No, what I need is to be at work on time. Please Cloud?" She pleaded, desperately not wanting his pity. She hated when people pitied her. She didn't want sad feelings all the time.

He pursed his lips then nodded his head after a couple minutes.

"So... Do you need a ride home?" He asked putting his goggles on while handing an extra pair to Tifa.

"I don't know, maybe Aeris or Elena can take me. If I need one I'll call you ahead of time. Sound good?" She asked putting her arms around his waist.

He nodded.

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**A/N: **_I'm not trying to sound like some counselor, but, if you are going through some sort of physical or emotional abuse, tell someone you trust! :) _


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**_I don't own FFVII_

**A/N:**_Thank you reviewers!!! Your rock! _**_Enjoy!_**

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The restaurant wasn't too packed, and Tifa was thankful for that.

"Oh my gosh! I am so glad Barret finally got us some new aprons. Those other ones were so boring!" Her good friend Aeris told her walking in the kitchen.

Tifa looked down at her new pink and yellow work outfit. She didn't really like pink but Aeris was in love with the color.

"I just wonder why Barret decided to go with these colors instead of the usual brown color." Tifa giggled. Aeris followed suite.

"Maybe Marlene finally convinced him that the old ones were boring." Aeris stated before her tray came.

"Ugh. So much work! I'll talk to you later Teef."

She waved bye to Aeris and got her tray shortly after.

"Alright Tifa , don't let those guys bother you." She muttered to herself.

Table 5 was filled with the clique of the most popular boys in school. Reno, Rude, Tseng, and Rufus. Those guys were so cocky! Well, except Rude. He wasn't that bad.

She walked over to the table and set the food down.

"Alright, if you need anything just call." She smiled.

Reno nudged Rufus as she turned away.

"Wait! There is something I need." He called out, grabbing her attention.

"Yes?"

Rufus slicked his hair back and she raised a brow.

"I was wondering if you would like to go to my place later." He grinned.

Her eyebrows shot up and she bit her tongue to keep from laughing. Was he trying to come on to her?

"Uh..." Momentarily she didn't even know what to say.

"I'll take that as a yes." Rufus interrupted leaning back into his chair.

She snapped out of her thoughts.

"I'm really sorry but I have plans." With that she turned and walked away. Gossip was sure to start now. I mean, Tifa Lockhart rejecting the infamous Rufus Shinra? Nobody turned down Rufus.

She walked into the kitchen and groaned. Elena, the dishwasher, looked at her. "What's wrong Tifa?"

Tifa looked up. "Rufus Shinra just asked me to go to his house tonight!"

Elena dropped the dish she was holding and screamed.

"Are you serious!? Oh my gosh! What did you say?" Elena quickly noticed that water was dripping all over her and took off her gloves.

Elena had been wanting to fit in with the group for ages. Tifa and Aeris had scolded the girl time to time for being absolutely ridiculous when it came to 'things to do' to join the little group. She kind of was in, but the boys always teased her and didn't really pay too much attention to her. Although... Tifa _had_ caught Tseng glance at Elena during work numerous of times when she wasn't in trouble and washing the dishes.

"Well... I said no."

Elena's eyes had gone wider, if possible.

"Tifa you have to go back out there and tell him you change your mind!" She yelled while pointing to the door.

Aeris came in and stopped to see what was happening.

"What did I miss?" She asked.

Tifa quickly waved her hands in a dismissive manner. "Nothing big happened."

Elena turned to Aeris. "Rufus just asked her out!"

Aeris gasped and turned to Tifa and gave her a hug.

"Oh, congratulations!" She cried.

Tifa huffed and pried her good friend off of her. "I told him no."

Aeris quickly dropped her arms. "Oh."

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Tonight the neither of the girls were able to take Tifa home, because she had to close up, so she sent a text to Cloud. Soon after, Barret came out of his office and helped Tifa.

"Damn Teef! That eye don't look too good. What happened? Did that foo hit you again!?" Barret was very intimidating and sometimes Tifa felt that she should open up more to him, but some things were best left unsaid.

Barret Wallace had been with Tifa one time when Ray was mad . He had given her a ride home after work and saw Ray come out of the house and push her inside, yelling things. When he had confronted her about it the next day, she had waved it off and asked him not to tell anybody, and reluctantly agreed. But only on one condition: He would be able to beat his ass if it got too far.

"Barret! Calm down. I actually walked into a door. Silly, really. I wasn't paying attention." She told him hoping he wouldn't make a big deal about it. Luckily, he didn't.

"You need a ride home or somethin'?" He asked getting his things together.

She shook her head. "No, Cloud's going to take me home."

Barret smiled inwardly. This Cloud fella seemed pretty attached to Tifa. He always came by when Tifa needed him or somethin'.

"Alright. Oh, and I was wonderin' if you could watch Marlene fer me this weekend?" He asked.

Tifa stacked the last chair and then turned to him. "Ooo, you gotta hot date?"

He scratched the back of his head in a bashful way. "Yeah, sorta."

Tifa ran up and hugged him. "Really!? Oh, I'm so happy for you! What's her name?"

"Elmyra Gainsborough."

The name sounded oddly familiar to Tifa...

"Oh! That's Aeris' mom!" She exclaimed. She heard the roar of the bike outside and said goodbye to Barret.

The night was crisp and smelled like rain. Tifa tugged her jacket around herself tighter and shivered.

"Hey." Cloud greeted.

She smiled and took the extra goggles. "Hey."

"How was work?" He asked.

She shrugged. "It was alright I guess."

He tilted his back back. "You guess?"

"Yup... You know Rufus Shinra?" She asked then felt him tense.

"Yeah. He's a jerk." Rufus and Cloud hadn't been on good terms since the fourth grade. Fights between them happened a lot but not recently, thankfully. "What about him?"

"He asked me if I wanted to go to his house tonight." She stated and once again felt his body tense.

"And what did you say?" He asked while she wrapped her arms around his middle.

"Well... If I said yes, I wouldn't be here with you now, would I?" She joked and smiled broadly when she felt his body relax and release a chuckle.

When they arrived at her house, it had started to sprinkle.

"How's your eye?" Cloud asked, when she got off the bike. She handed him the goggles and said it was fine. He cupped her face and her breath hitched. She desperately fought the blush that was creeping up her cheeks.

Cloud was too concerned for her at the moment than notice how close they were. "You should put some ice on it."

She snapped out of her daydreaming and nodded. "Alright." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodnight Cloud."

"Goodnight Tifa."

He watched her walk to the door and walk inside. He was worried for her. That bastard Ray could be awake or something. He sat there for awhile just listening to the rain.

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**Thank you very much:**

**BlackButterflyPrincess**

**elebelly**

**yuki-chanx**

**Kohryu**

**animasyal8**

**Hello-blondie**

**Luneress**

**so-mi1**

**UxOnlyxLivexOnce**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't own FFVII or Evanescence lyrics/music

**A/N:** Thank you reviewers. If you read the fic, please review with nice comments. Also, I'm not a huge fan of **Evanescence** but some of their music is very beautiful and deep.

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Tifa lay on her bed waiting for Ray to leave for his nightly drink. She checked the clock once again. **7:57PM** it read. She sighed to herself and looked at the bruise forming on her arm.

When Cloud had dropped her off Ray had come in complaining about how late it was, and that she needed to stop, as he called it, "whoring around."

She snorted at the thought. Tifa was far from being 'whorish'. She felt the hot tears trickle down her cheeks. Oh, how she hated Ray. Hated that man! Of course, she had taken martial arts class, but she wasn't about to kick the ass of someone who was giving her shelter.

Not that it was good shelter, but one nonetheless. Yuffie had described the Foster homes to her and she became horrified. She frequently questioned Yuffie on why she didn't choose a different home to go into than stay with Ray.

Her reply?

"I couldn't take switching again. The process was just too much for me. Besides, I love you too much to go back."

They both cried that night, talking about their biological fathers. How hard it must have been for Yuffie to see her family murdered like that at the age of 6; And being tossed to home after home, with people that turned out to be completely different than what they appeared.

She shuddered at the thought, but quickly reminded herself that she only had one more year to go until she moved out.

She had already been planning her future. She was going to move to Edge, take Yuffie with her, and buy the vacant broken down building and run a business.

Barret had been extremely supportive and called the owner, which was surprisingly one of his good poker buddy friends. His name was Cid Highwind, and thankfully he was going to take the **NOW RENTING **sign off until she graduated.

Tifa awoke with a start when she heard the front door slam and some things crash below. Very quietly, she walked to her window to see Ray jump in his car and speed off.

She ran out of her room and saw Yuffie lying on the ground holding her head.

"Oh my gosh!"

She ran forward and kneeled beside her.

"Ugh." she moaned.

"Yuffie, what happened?" Tifa asked now sitting on Yuffie's bed while placing the warm rag on her sister's forehead.

"Jackass told me that I was late!" She huffed throwing her arms in the air, before a pain fled to her head and she quickly put them by her sides.

Tifa sighed. "Yeah, he told me I was coming home too late as well." She got off the bed and walked to her bag.

"What are you doing?" Yuffie asked sitting up, instantly regretting moving to fast.

"I'm calling Vincent. He should know about this." Tifa told her dialing the number. Right now Yuffie's head hurt too much to argue. Ray had seen her come through the door and shoved her aside, causing her to hit the end table in the foyer before rushing out to his car.

"Yes, Vincent? Hi, it's Tifa... Well, not really... Yeah, she's right here... He left about 15 minutes ago... Of course you can... I'll tell her... Okay, bye."

Tifa lifted the rag off Yuffie's forehead. "Well, he'll be in in about five minutes. How bad did you hit your head?"

Yuffie bitterly chuckled. "Only a little less hard than last time."

They both frowned.

"Hey," Tifa said taking hold of Yuffie's hand. "We will get through this! Just you wait! Things will look up for us Yuffie. Only about a year more and we are out of his life for good!"

They both hugged, praying to the gods above for things to turn out brighter.

Vincent arrived fast and came to Yuffie's aid.

Tifa walked back to her room and stared at the semi-large piano that her father had given her for her tenth birthday. It was beautiful.

She ran her fingers over the keys and felt the chill of the open window hit her arms. She had left it open to hear the pittering sound of the rain.

She wished she could be like a raindrop. To fall and be free. Or to be the pavement, on which the rain fell on. The rain washing all of the bad things away.

Her finger gingerly pressed down on an ivory key. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound. It had been so long since she played but right now she wanted to wash away her feelings of doubt and insecurity.

She was so captivated by the sound that she didn't hear Cloud climb through her window like he always did when he felt like it.

He stopped when he saw her sitting there playing a haunting, yet beautiful tune. He was even more enticed when she started singing.

_Please, please forgive me,  
But I won't be home again.  
Maybe someday you'll have woke up,  
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:  
"Isn't something missing?"_

The sound of her voice was melodious to his ears and he had been surprised that she sounded so sadly beautiful at the moment.

_You won't cry for my absence, I know -  
You forgot me long ago.  
Am I that unimportant…?  
Am I so insignificant…?  
Isn't something missing?  
Isn't someone missing me?_

Tifa was lost in her own world of emotion and expressions to noticed Cloud standing by her window dripping with rain.

_Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't someone missing me?_

The lyrics hit Cloud in the chest. Who was she talking about in this song? She would always play tunes dedicated to her mother and father, but she had never sung out loud when playing before.

_Please, please forgive me,  
But I won't be home again.  
I know what you do to yourself,  
I breath deep and cry out:  
"Isn't something missing?  
Isn't someone missing me?"_

Truth was, she wasn't actually singing about anybody in person. She was singing for everybody. The lonely memories of missing and missed people. For Yuffie, her dead father Godo and her murdered family. For Aeris and her dead biological parents. For Vincent's ex girlfriend Lucrecia, who died from a drunk driver. For her father, who was shot several times from a man named Sephiroth, who escaped an asylum. For her mother who had emotionally detached herself from her daughter. For Cloud who never got the chance to meet his father. For Barret, who's wife died of cancer. For herself for feeling insignificant.

___Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't someone missing me?_

Cloud made a movement and caused Tifa to jerk away from the piano.

"Cloud!" She exclaimed feeling embarrassed.

He scratched the back of his head; a habit he had. "Uh, I'm sorry Tifa."

She held her hands up to her face hiding her blushing cheeks.

"I can't believe you heard that... And... Oh this is embarrassing!"

Cloud didn't want her to feel embarrassed around him, so he walked over and tenderly pulled her hands away from her face, causing her to blush even more.

"Tifa, please don't be embarrassed. I'm your best friend. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

He sounded so gentle and a little nervous, that Tifa had already felt her discomfort wash away.

___Wash away._

"I guess I can forgive you for breaking into my house and invading my personal space." she sighed dramatically causing him to smile.

They were squished on her twin bed looking at all her glow in the dark stars on the ceiling talking about everything.

"Sometimes..." Tifa started but stopped short and bit her lip. She didn't want to tell Cloud that.

"What?" he asked, while she felt him turn his face. She couldn't see him from the darkness of the room but she knew he was staring at her.

She blushed. "Nothing. Nevermind. It's stupid."

"Aww, c'mon Teef tell me...please?" She could practically feel his face change into a playful pout and she giggled.

"Alright," She continued, but poked his chest. "But, you have to promise not to laugh!"

He chuckled. "Well, it depends..."

He heard her huff playfully. "Okay okay. I promise I won't laugh."

She smiled and closed her eyes, taking in the feeling of tranquility course throughout her body.

"Sometimes," She was whispering now. "I make wishes on these stars, even though their not real."

She felt the bed shift and was sure that he was now laying on his side facing her. But, she still kept her eyes closed.

"What do you wish for?" he whispered as well.

She smiled. "I wish lots of things. I wish for Yuffie to stop stealing. I wish for Aeris to save enough money to open that floral shop that she wants. I wish that Zack would get over his arrogant self and just ask Aeris out. I wish that I could kick Ray's butt... and I wish that we will never be apart for good." She finished off feeling Cloud's eye bore through her skin.

"We won't." He finally said after his breath returned. He had been in awe by Tifa's little speech. Sometimes it amazed him at how loving and selfless she was.

She turned her neck and faced him. Thank goodness it was dark so that Cloud couldn't see her hundredth blush on her face.

"We won't what?" She breathed.

They were so close to each other that their lips were but an inch away.

"We won't be apart." He stated sounding sure.

She sighed in happiness and he was about to crack from sensory overload.

"Promise?" She asked, sounding innocently childish.

He chuckled and let his lips rest on her forehead.

"I promise you Tifa."

They unfortunately separated when the front door downstairs slammed open.

They both sighed.

"I'll see at school tomorrow Tifa." He whispered.

"Alright. Bye Cloud." She gave him a hug before he climbed out the window and down to his Fenrir.

She changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed waiting for morning to come.

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**Thank you:**

**Kohryu**

**so-mi1**

**All.is.All**

**Luneress**

**Yuki-Chanx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I don't own FFVII

**A/N: **_**Please please please Review**_!!!!!!! It gives me the push to write another chapter! And for those of you who are reviewing, I love you ! Thanks!**Enjoy!**

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"Miss Lockhart."

'_Today I need to babysit Marlene. I hope Yuffie will be alright while I'm out. Oh stop worrying Tifa, she'll be fine! Vincent's with her after all!_'

"Miss Lockhart!"

Tifa snapped out of her thoughts to realize the whole class looking at her. And her teacher Mr. Russel did not look too happy at the moment.

"Uh..." Was all she could come up with.

Mr. Russel huffed. "I said, 'Describe the Northernmost Continent.'"

"Uh... It's... a heavily glaciated wasteland... covered in snow and ice, with its few settlements largely concerned with excavation or research."

_'Good gods, I better stop getting lost in my thoughts!'_ Tifa scolded herself after she answered the question. But she couldn't help it, this class was so boring.

"Don't forget to do pages 355- 360 over the weekend." Mr. Russel unenthusiastically called out when the dismissal bell rang.

Tifa, Cloud, and walked out of the class and met up with Yuffie, Vincent, and a friend Jesse.

"Wow Tifa, I'm surprised you got that question right! You were practically drooling on your desk!" Jesse laughed.

Tifa scratched her arm bashfully. "I know, but goodness! Who doesn't drift off during Mr. Russel's long lectures?"

They all laughed. They passed by a group of girls and saw them all give Tifa looks. Tifa rolled her eyes. She and Yuffie were always some center of gossip, especially Yuffie, considering her open past.

"Can you believe that Lockhart girl?" one girl asked crossing her arms.

"She screwed Rufus and then dumped him!"

"Yeah right! Why would Rufus sleep with someone like her?"

"Maybe it was her sister. She's pretty slutty."

"Why doesn't Cloud notice me, instead of _that_?"

The girls all laughed and continued talking as if they weren't there. Tifa clenched her teeth and fists. Now was not the time to pick a fight, she had to babysit Marlene in 40 minutes.

"What a bunch of hot air!" Yuffie huffed crossing her arms. That was one of the things Tifa admired about her; She always spoke her mind.

"That Emi Hanako! Stupid blonde! No offense Cloud, but seriously that girl only has three brain cells and they're all fighting for each other." Yuffie yelled, so that the other girls could hear. Vincent whispered something in her ear, but she waved it off.

Emi looked up from her group and walked toward them.

"Come on Yuff, let's leave. You don't need to be in another fight." Tifa said grabbing Yuffie's arm. Yuffie easily removed Vincent and Tifa's hold on her arms and put her hands on her hips.

"Oh no." Tifa whispered. She felt Cloud grab her hand and gave him a appreciative smile for trying to console her.

"I'm sorry, did you have something to say, _Yuffie_?" She asked raising a brow.

"Actually, it's more of a question." Yuffie answered, receiving confused looks from the bunch.

Tifa bit her lip. Emi was one of the meanest girls in school, everyone knew that. She thought she was tough shit because she had gone out with Tseng and Reno. What everyone also knew was that she wasn't too bright.

"I was wondering if you liked nature, you know, despite what it did to you?" Yuffie finished.

Emi glared while her gang gasped.

"The only reason I hate nature is that it brought you and your slutty sister into it!" She angrily cried pointing at Tifa.

"You know, a sharp tongue doesn't mean you have a keen brain."

Emi glared again and was whispered something in her ear by one of her friends, then smiled.

"Why don't you go back to the Foster homes where you belong wench!"

Tifa now noticed a small crowd grouped around them and she inwardly groaned.

"That's enough!"

Everyone was shocked to see Vincent standing in front of Yuffie now and have spoken.

"You have no right to talk cruelly to Yuffie or Tifa. If you have a problem with them defending themselves, don't talk about them to begin with."

Everybody knew of the whole Vincent/Yuffie relationship, but thought it would only last a short time because of ages and personalities. How wrong they were.

Vincent led Yuffie to his car after saying their goodbyes to Tifa, Jesse and Cloud.

"Wow. That was interesting..." Jesse stated. Tifa and Cloud both nodded in agreement. Tifa had to admit that even though she didn't like for Yuffie to fight, verbally or physically, she was proud of her.

"Well, I have to go find Wedge. I'll see you two later." Jesse ran off to the end of the parking lot.

"Tifa."

Tifa looked at Cloud. "Hmm?"

He pointed to her bag. "Your phone's ringing."

"Oh!" She dug in her bag and pulled her phone out.

"Hello?"

"_**Hey, Tifa? It's Zack."**_

She scrunched her brows together. Why was Zack calling her? He was supposed to be working.

"Hi. What's up?"

"_**Uh... Do you think you could meet me here? It's pretty important."**_

She cocked her head to the side getting a curious look from Cloud.

"Well, I can't right now. I'm on my way to babysit, I could stop by afterwards, but that'll be around 7:00. Is that alright?"

"_**Yeah! It's perfect! Thanks Teef! Tell Spike I say hi."**_

"Got it. See ya then."

She flipped her phone closed and put it back in her bag.

"Who was that?" Cloud asked walking beside her.

She looked over at him, frowning slightly. "It was Zack. He said he needed to talk to me or something. Something important." She shrugged.

"Wonder what it could be..." Cloud trailed off.

Tifa nodded. "I hope he's alright. Oh, and he said hi to you too."

Cloud smiled as they approached Fenrir. He handed her the goggles, but she gave them back.

"I think I'll walk." She smiled.

"Tifa, it's raining." He frowned concerned.

She waved it off.

"Oh Cloud, you know how much I love the rain!" She laughed.

He knew that. He always thought of her when it rained.

"Alright, but call me if you need me to pick you up. I need to look for a job again." He sighed, causing Tifa to giggle.

"What's so funny?" He asked, slightly amused that she was laughing for no reason.

"Just don't break anymore windows at your new job." She laughed.

It had been funny when Cloud got a job as the paper boy. But she found it even more hilarious when he got fired for breaking 5 windows. They ended up hiring a 7 year old, who was on a baseball team.

He scratched the back of his head. "I didn't break them on purpose."

"Of course not." She responded putting on a bad impression of a serious face.

"Besides," he started, narrowing his eyes. "Two of those windows were your fault!"

She feigned shock and held her hand up to her mouth. "Me!? I did no such thing!"

"You were the one who decided t scream and ruin my aim!" He pouted.

She snorted then laughed. "Well, good thing too or you would have hit that puppy and the bird."

He frowned. "I wasn't going to hit him."

She raised an eyebrow. "Well, you weren't turning."

Their playful bickering was cut short when it began raining harder. The streets were already somewhat flooded from the non stop 48 hours of rain already.

He smirked at her.

"Fine! Give me the goggles."

They drove to Barret's house and she got off the bike when they arrived.

"If you get tired of searching for a job, I'm sure Barret won't mind you stopping by." Tifa told him handing Cloud the goggles.

"I'll see you soon then." He grinned.

She smiled broadly as she watched him drive off. She loved him so much. She just needed to find the right time to tell him...

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**Please Review!**

**Thank You:**

**Kohryu**

**so-mi1**

**All.Is.All**

**Luneress**

**yuki-chanx**

**DynastyWARRIORS**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FFVII or Thumbelina

**A/N: **Thank you again, reviewers!**Please R/R! **I would really appreciate reviews. Thank you! **Enjoy!**

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"So, what do you want to do Marlene?" Browsing through the movies, Tifa giggled and wondered how Barret could live with watching only kids movies all the time.

Marlene clapped her hands happily together. "I think that we should watch... Thumbelina!"

Tifa smiled. She grabbed the movie and put it in on. Before she sat down however, there was a knock on the door. She got up and looked through the peep hole.

"Hey Cloud. I thought you were job hunting?" She let him inside and giggled when he ruffled his hair back to their usual spiky selves.

Tifa noticed that he was shivering slightly.

"Oh no! You're going to get sick, let's get you dried up." Marlene walked up after pausing the movie and gave Cloud a hug.

"Hi Cloud!" He hugged her back. Cloud had come a couple times while Tifa was babysitting her, and Marlene taken to him quite easily.

Marlene looked out the window and frowned.

"It's really windy out there, huh?" Tifa grabbed her small hand and led her to the couch.

"Yes, but I don't want you to worry." Marlene nodded and turned to play the movie. Tifa watched the screen. Thumbelina had felt like an outcast; The only one of her 'kind', so to speak.

_Let me be your wings  
Let me be your only love  
Let me take you far beyond the stars  
Let me be your wings  
Let me lift you high above  
Everything we're dreaming of will soon be ours _

Tifa pondered on the lyrics. Would someone really put their whole being and trust into one other person? Of course, it was just a movie, but there were always life meanings buried within them. Was she like this Thumbelina character? Unknowing to Cloud, giving every inch of her mind, emotion, and trust to him.

_Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
Everyday I'll take you higher  
And I'll never let you fall _

Tifa reached for the popcorn at the moment Cloud had pulled his hand out of the bag. It wasn't as if they hadn't touched before, obviously, but the fact that it was one of the most romantic part of the movie, that caused Tifa to blush slightly. She pulled back, feeling the electrical sensations spread from her hand throughout her body.

_Let me be your wings  
Leave behind the world you know  
For another world of wondrous things  
We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings  
Fly with me and I will be your wings _

It amazed, and frightened, her that a single touch from him could do such things to her. "Heh, sorry." she chuckled. He joined in, but both received a "shh!" from the 6 year old.

_Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
(Anything at all)  
Everyday I'll take you higher  
And I'll never let you fall  
_

It was the Tifa realized they were staring at each other and she returned her gaze to the television, while her cheeks gave off a faint hue of pink. She glanced to see him still staring at her and she bit her lip.

"What?" she asked, trying not to sound nervous or self conscience. He shook his head.

"Nothing..." He answered sounding slightly amused. He was ready to turn back to the TV before turning to reface Tifa and lifting his hand and touch her face. When he pulled away, he held his forefinger in front of her.

"You had an eyelash." He smiled. "Now, you have to make a wish."

_We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings  
Heaven isn't too far  
Heaven is where you are  
Stay with me and  
Let me be your (You will be my) wings _

"Yes, but I can't." She informed him, getting a confused look in response. "It won't come true." She continued.

"And why do you say that?" He asked, genuinely curious. They both ignored the fact that Marlene had turned the volume up.

"Because, you already know my wishes. And everyone knows that if you make a wish that someone else knows, it won't come true." She finished sounding as though it was the most obvious answer, while smiling.

He looked thoughtful for a second. "Hmm... then make a wish that you haven't told me about." Tifa scratched her arm bashfully, thinking about the wish she really hadn't told him, then nodded and released a gentle breath, blowing the single lash away.

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The storm was becoming more fierce and she started to become nervous. She reached in her bag and pulled out her phone. "I'm going to stay here until the rain gets lighter. You are too, so call your mom and I'll call Barret." She informed Cloud. He nodded in agreement.

She dialed Barret's number first. He had told her that he was having some coffee at Elmyra's house and she told him that she would take care of Marlene until the storm let up and forbid him from going out in such weather. Reluctantly, agreed, and gave in.

After, she called Zack, and both agreed on meeting in a couple of days instead of a couple of hours.

Next, she called Yuffie.

**_"Hello?"_**

"Oh thank goodness! Yuffie, why haven't you been answering your phone? Are you alright?"

_**"Teef, I'm fine! I'm just hanging out with Vince and his dad right now."**_

"Good, well, stay there, that storm is terrible out there. I'm surprised the power hasn't turned off yet."

**_"Yeah, I know. I already called Ray, so don't worry about it."_**

"Really? What did he say?"

_**"He was pissed at first but then told us to have our asses back right when it quit raining."**_

"Hopefully that will be awhile."

**_"No kidding! Alright, I'm gonna go now Teef."_**

"Alright, love you Yuff. And be careful!"

**_"I'm always careful! Love ya too! Bye."_**

"Bye."

She hung up and saw Marlene looking up at her with a curious look. "You told Papa to stay at Miss Myra's right?"

Tifa smiled and nodded her head. "Of course! We don't want him out there in this type of weather, do we?"

"Yeah. I'm glad he listens to you." She smiled. Tifa and Cloud sometimes forgot how intelligent she was for her age. She jumped suddenly when the sound of thunder echoed throughout the house and sky.

"Can we stay out here? I don't like this weather." Tifa hugged Marlene close and calmed the shaking girl down.

Cloud released a slight smile at the sight. Tifa, he knew, always had a certain talent for helping and comforting someone in need. That was one of the many things he admired about her. Her warmth and kindness would just radiate off of her and would be able to comfort any person.

"It's pretty cold, isn't it?" Tifa asked, while Marlene nodded. Cloud got up off the couch and turned to the young girl.

"Where are your extra blankets?" She pointed to the cabinet by the front window. When he reached the cabinet he glanced out the window and did a double take. A young boy was cowering from the storm in the porch right outside the house. He frowned and walked briskly to the front door.

Tifa watched as Cloud paused and stared out the window, then hurried out of the room, ignoring her puzzled, "Cloud!?". She ordered Marlene to stay put and followed him out to the front door.

"Cloud what is-" She stopped mid sentence when she saw the young boy, no older than 7 or 8, in the arms of her best friend.

"Oh my!" She exclaimed closing the door and ushering Cloud into the living room. Once he sat on the couch, Tifa grabbed some towels and started to rub them over the boy, hoping it would warm his body, along with Cloud holding him sharing his own body heat.

Marlene's extremely caring personality shone through and she rushed to the kitchen to heat some warm water for some hot chocolate.

The boy was stirring and he opened his eyes to reveal bright blue eyes, similar to Cloud's. He jerked awake from the unfamiliar surroundings. His eyes began to water, from various emotions.

Tifa saw this and hesitantly brushed some of his unkempt hair away from his eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked, having a gentle tone in her words.

He sniffed and Tifa looked at Cloud with a slight frown. He placed the boy on the couch and grabbed the blankets from the cabinet and covered one over him. The boy looked up surprised from the act.

"How are you feeling?" Cloud asked crouching in front of him. The boy backed up slightly, still a bit unsure of these new faces. Still, they _were_ acting nice toward him...

Marlene popped in the room with a mug in hand. "Hi," she smiled at him. "My name's Marlene. I made you some hot chocolate, since you must be cold. My Papa always makes me this when I'm cold, so I thought it might make you feel better."

The boy looked at the pretty girl with big brown eyes and friendly smile. He blushed and cautiously took the cup. The heat tingled in his fingers and he felt himself become a bit more comfortable.

He sneezed suddenly, causing Tifa to turn to Cloud. "I'll be right back, I'm going to check if Barret has any children's cold medicine." Cloud nodded and focused on the boy once more.

"So, what's your name?" he asked. The boy looked hesitant to answer, and stole another glance to the brunette Marlene and her encouraging smile.

Tifa came back and gave him a small capsule. "It might not taste all that great, but we don't want you getting sick now. Go ahead and chew it." The woman sounded nice and he was beginning to warm up to them. He stuck the pill in his mouth and tasted the bitter cherry flavor.

"Thank you Ma'am." he shyly muttered. Tifa smiled brilliantly for getting him to talk. She felt relieved that he wasn't that uncomfortable any more.

"Oh, ma'am makes me sound so old! You can call me Tifa." She pointed to Cloud after introducing herself. "This is Cloud, and you've already met Marlene." Cloud smiled at him.

"Are you still cold?" He asked.

The boy felt himself release a tiny smile. "No, I'm feeling a 'lil better, thank you."

Marlene scooted closer to him, making him blush, causing Tifa to force back a giggle. "So, what's your name? I'm glad Cloud found you out there, now you an' me can be friends."

The boy's smile widened slightly. He never had a friend before. "My name's Denzel." He finally told them. Cloud cracked a smile.

"Nice to meet you Denzel."

The next couple hours were spent talking to Denzel. Apparently, he was homeless and had been for a year or so. The rain had become thick, and he felt he had no where else to go for shelter, so he decided to hide on the porch.

Tifa clapped her hands together. "Well, the weather isn't getting any better, and it is past your bedtime Marlene. Let's get to sleep."

"Denzel can sleep with us too right?" Marlene asked.

"Of course he can." Cloud answered causing Denzel to beam.

They pulled the bed from the couch and set it up. Luckily it was a queen sized bed, so the four of them could fit.

Laying in the darkness, Tifa thought about the connection she had with this Denzel boy. She had only known him a few hours and was already feeling love and admiration for his shy personality and emotional strength.

"Tifa..." she heard Cloud whisper next to her. She turned facing his direction.

"Yes, Cloud?"

She felt him shift on the bed.

"Are you awake?"

She giggled. "No, I'm asleep." She heard him chuckle.

"I'm glad we found Denzel." He whispered. She felt her heart flutter as his breath tickled her lashes.

"I know. I hope he won't want to return to the streets. Maybe he'll be able to live with Barret." She excitedly whispered.

"Yeah, he's a good kid. He deserves a nice childhood." Tifa nodded in agreement even though she knew he probably couldn't see it through the dark.

"If I didn't have Ray to worry about, I would bring him to my house." She told him, a bit sadly. Cloud caught the slight change in her voice and searched for her hand.

When he found it he gave it a light squeeze. She was now glad for the darkness concealing her flushed, yet blissful, state.

"You are an amazing person Tifa Lockhart." He told her. She felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter to her chest.

"I could say the same about you Strife." She heard him release a small laugh. He was mindlessly rubbing her knuckles with his thumbs.

"I only learned from the best." He countered. She giggled before yawning. He heard her actions and brought her knuckles to his lips, kissing them.

He sighed peacefully. "Goodnight Tifa." She smiled sleepily. "Goodnight Cloud."

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**Thank you:**

**Luneress**

**Not Jack Frost**

**so-mi1**

**Kohryu**

**Falling2clouds**

**elebelly**

**Yuki-chanx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FFVII

**A/N:** Thank you reviewers. This chapter has a bit a sexual harassment. If you are not comfortable with these then take this warning! I do not know the name of Cloud's mother so forgive me if you don't like the name I picked**. Enjoy!**

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Tifa walked to the front door of her house. When she walked inside, the sound of the TV and a heavy stench of alcohol flooded her nose.

Tifa had told Barret that she would work extra if he kept Denzel at his house, and Barret happily agreed. Now, she was home and Yuffie was still out, hopefully not stealing again.

She walked up the stairs, ignoring the squeak of the couch in the next room. As she went to close her door, a foot blocked it.

She looked up into the very drunken Ray. "What is it?" She asked irritably. He laughed, releasing a horrible smell of breath, making Tifa want to gag.

"So you think you can stay out all night with some boy, do ya?" He slurred, but eyes blazing with fury. She clenched her teeth together. "I was babysitting. Now move your foot." She was not messing around.

He swung the door so hard that the door knob broke inside the wall, causing it to remain fully open. Her eyes widened in alarm. He was much stronger when drunk.

He reached his hand out to touch her neck. She forgot her sudden fear when it was replaced with anger. "Don't touch me!" She hissed jerking back. He smiled crookedly, rather than be affected by her vicious tone.

"You have such delicate features. And your mom hasn't been around in a while." He reached out to touch her again and grabbed her arm before she pushed him away. Her fear was beginning to come back again. Her mind suddenly drew a blank, and she was forgetting ways to defend herself.

She tried to wriggle free. He backhanded her so hard, she was sure that she was seeing stars. She stumbled to the floor, suddenly feeling dizzy. Next thing she knew, he was on top of her.

"Get the fuck off of me! **_Get off! __Get off!_**" She punched him square in the jaw and flew for the door. He growled and grabbed her ankle. "Stupid bitch! Just like your mother! Never wanting to admit that this is what you want!" He screamed.

"You son of a bitch!" She screamed while jerking her leg from his grasp and kicking his chest. She grabbed her phone and was glad Cloud was on speed dial and ran out the room. Unfortunately, she didn't have a chance to see if he would answer when Ray pushed her up against the wall and had her neck in one hand while the other roamed her body, she was trying to breathe, but all that came out of her mouth were ragged gags.

She felt the hot tears stream down her face. This man was not about to take her dignity away! She used every ounce of strength in her body the lift her arms and strike his face. He grunted and stumbled back.

She gasped in for breaths, until he grabbed her hair and shoved her until she broke through Yuffie's door. She was starting to lose hope in escaping and now felt like she had a hole in her head.

"You think you can get away from me. I don't think so!" He yelled ripping her shirt off. She still was struggling.

" You fucking bastard!!" She screamed. It all happened so fast. First, she was on the floor and the next thing she knew she was in some one's arms. The sound of glass shattering and a painful grunt entered her ears.

A jacket was put over her and she was being carried out of the house.

Cloud carried her to the bike and drove to the police department. That bastard wasn't getting away with this, even if had promised Tifa he wouldn't tell.

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Tifa opened her eyes and adjusted to the light. Emily(Cloud's mom), Cloud, Yuffie, Vincent, Grimoire (Vincent's dad), Denzel, Marlene, and Barret were all scattered throughout the room.

What caught her eye were the two police officers talking to a very pensive Yuffie.

Where was she? The sight of white and tubes confirmed that she was in a hospital.

Emily saw Tifa awake. "Oh you're up!" she cried running over to a very confused Tifa. The memories of what happened earlier on flooded through her memory and she gasped holding a hand to her head.

Every one's attention was turned to Tifa now and she felt confusion for a split second. Cloud came rushing to the bed.

"Tifa, are you alright?" She gave a tiny smile and then looked to the two officers that were now approaching with a Doctor.

Everyone stepped aside. "Hello." He smiled, causing the wrinkles in his face to lift. "I'm Dr. Renn. Can you tell me your name?" He asked.

Tifa furrowed her brows. Why was he asking such an obvious question. "Tifa Lockhart."

He nodded. "Good good. Now..." Tifa was given a few more questions that she easily answered. When finished, Dr. Renn wrote some things in his clipboard. "Now Tifa, I'm sure you're wondering why your here." She nodded.

"Do you remember the situation you were in before you blacked out?" Tifa debated on telling the Dr. but knew that every body already knew, since the cops were there.

"I was..." She felt her throat close and took a deep breath. The Dr.'s eyes softened somewhat, "You can tell when you're ready. The thing is, you had a bad concussion. Lucky for you, it was only a Grade I, which means you'll be feeling better within the next couple of weeks. This means, that you will have to rest and take medication. During those couple of weeks you may feel the need to vomit, receive headaches, and fast dizzy spells. But don't worry, they aren't permanent, just temporary."

Tifa took in all of the information, and gave a thanks to the Dr. before he gave some pills to Emily. The two men of authority walked to Tifa.

"Miss Lockhart, we understand there is a situation with domestic violence in your home from tanhe man who gave you the concussion." Tifa was already starting to get a headache and she looked at Yuffie who looked solemn, then back at the officer.

"You're not going to separate us, are you?" She asked pointing to Yuffie with a tremor of fright d panic in her voice.

"We don't have any solid information yet Miss Lockhart. We'll let you get your rest, but will talk to you when you're all healed up. And for the mean time, this, Ray Stickler, will be in questioning by our Headquarters." He handed Tifa a card and walked off.

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It had been a couple of days and Tifa had ended up staying at Cloud's and Emily's. Yuffie had insisted that she not leave her sister's sight but Grimoire and Emily had agreed it best that Yuffie stay with him and his son instead.

Although Tifa hadn't actually been_fully_ violated, she was still violated nonetheless, and felt disgusted by it. She had taken a two hour bath before Emily busted in, thinking she had drowned or something.

That was a wonderful thing about Emily, was that she cared for Tifa like her own daughter. It was Emily that Tifa would always seek a mature woman's advice for, not Yuffie or Aeris. It was Emily that took the role of the leading female after her own mother became detached from the world and abandoned them.

Now, Tifa was on Cloud's room floor hugging the teddy bear that Marlene and Denzel had gave for her to feel better.

Thankfully, Tifa would be healed physically before her "Harvest Break" from school was over. She looked at the calender. October 11th. Tifa sighed and wondered when Cloud would be back from doing his mother's quick errand.

As if on cue, she heard the Fenrir pull into the driveway. She didn't move however, and continued to sit on the floor stroking the bear's fur.

Cloud walked up to his room and saw Tifa sitting in a corner holding the bear, 'Wolly', the kids had given her. He sat down next to her.

"Hey." He said quietly. She turned to look at him and gave him a small smile.

"Hello Cloud." He noticed her voice sounded scratchy and her eyes were red and puffy. She must have been crying, he thought frowning.

"What's wrong?" She asked noticing his frown.

He sighed. "I don't like to see you sad Teef."

It was her turn to frown. "I know... I'm trying."

"I know. And I'm proud at what a strong person you are." He told her making her blush a bit.

"I hope they don't separate me and Yuffie." She changed the subject slightly.

Cloud knew that Yuffie had meant a lot to Tifa and vice versa. He just hoped that the didn't get split up for all of their sakes.

"I don't think they will." He told her.

There was a comfortable silence. Tifa scooted right next to Cloud and put her head on his shoulder. He responded by wrapping an arm around her, enjoying the feeling of how they fit perfectly together like a puzzle piece being connected.

"Thank you Cloud." Tifa whispered.

He swallowed hard feeling her breath tickle his jaw and fought off the blush rising to his cheeks. He began to rub her arm in a comforting matter. She closed her eyes, loving how every moment with Cloud whether it be good or bad, just felt...

...Right.

"For what?" He asked.

"For keeping your promise. After all these years you've always been my hero." He scratched the back of his head bashfully remembering the night they made a promise together.

_Tifa was supposed to be meeting Cloud at the Well but unfortunately she was running a little late. When she arrived she saw a 8 year old Cloud swinging his legs off the legde._

"_Come this summer, my mom and me will be at Midgar." Cloud told his friend. Tifa frowned. Why was Cloud leaving?_

"_You mean you're not going to play with me this summer?" She asked disappointed. He shook his head. _

"_Aww, then who will I talk to when your away?" Cloud got up and walked to the top of the Well. "I won't be gone forever Tifa, just for a few months."_

_They sat in silence for a few minutes until an idea popped in her head. "Hey, let's make a promise," She said excitedly, "Umm... If when you leave town, and if I'm ever in a bind, you'll come save me, alright?"_

"_What?" Cloud asked._

_Tifa giggled. "If I'm ever in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me... I want to experience that at least once."_

"_What?" Cloud asked, blushing._

"_Come on! Promise me!" She pleaded._

"_Alright... I promise."_

_She smiled widely causing his blush to deepen. Above them a shooting star flashed across the sky, but went unnoticed by the two children._

"You're welcome Tifa." He smiled when he saw she had fallen asleep. He picked her up and placed her on the bed. After debating with himself inside his mind, he cautiously kissed Tifa on the forehead. To his relief she didn't wake up like he previously thought she would.

Cloud walked out the door missing the raven haired beauty smile in her sleep.

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**Thank you:**

**DynastyWARRIORS**

**Kohryu**

**xxx-ServantoftheStar-xxx**

**Luneress**

**Ur1Nonly**

**elebelly**

**Labyrinth Traveler**

**LovingCloudStrife777 **


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII_

_A/N: Ack! Sorry it's taking so long! With school, and other stories, and my outside life! Very hectic, and I apologize for the wait! Enjoy!_

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She was completely stunned. The joy and happiness that should have been there was surprisingly not. She only felt pity. Deep pity for the man she swore to eternally hate.

Emily had received a call earlier that morning from the Police, stating that Ray Stickler had shot himself in the head. As traumatizing as it was, Yuffie and Tifa could only sit there while Emily, Vincent, Grimoir and Cloud waited for their reaction.

Yuffie was first.

She grabbed Tifa's hand so tight, and vise versa that the two of them thought that they would actually mesh as one big fist.

"Free." She breathed then laughed. "Free! Free! Free!" Her words struck Tifa hard. Freedom was the most beautiful word to her. There was actually no way to describe what the word meant to the two of them.

"I don't want to go back to the Foster homes though!" Yuffie suddenly remembered. Graciously, the Police had seen the living arrangements of the past few weeks and Yuffie was officially in the custody of guardian, Grimoir Valentine.

Tifa, however, was under the custody of Emily Strife.

Supposedly, Ray had shot himself for not wanting to go to trial. Knowing he would end up in Prison. It seemed that in the long two months of darkness, the tunnel had been given a ray of sunshine.

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"Can I have a brownie?" Denzel asked Tifa.

Cloud had taken Marlene and Denzel to the Restaurant while Tifa was serving. She smiled at how cute the blonde looked with the two children. The table next to theirs were of Emi Hanako, Rita Janice and a bunch of other girls, who were crushing on Cloud.

"Of course you can Denzel! And you know what, it's free." She felt her insides turn when she saw the young boy smile with absolute happiness.

She came back and delivered their food, ignoring the whispers from the next table.

"Cloud, are you taking the children home?" Tifa asked.

Gasps were heard from the next table. Along with, "They live together with children?" and, "Who knew Cloud had such horrible taste in his women!".

Tifa bit her tongue, but felt a bit relieved when Cloud gave her a smile, most likely telling her to forget the other girls.

"Yeah, I'll take them after we pay."

"Oh pish posh! You will do no such thing! Family gets a free meal, isn't that right Marlene?" The younger girl giggled and agreed.

Tifa had been told from Barret that since she always came over and spent most of her paycheck for the kids, she didn't need to charge any people she wanted for a meal. But only one meal. He didn't want to go broke now, did he?

"Well, here's your brownie Denzel, and be sure to have Marlene in bed before her father gets home, alright?"

Cloud grinned as Denzel nodded.

"Tifa, I'll be here to pick you up after work."

She frowned slightly. He was always was occupying his time around her and she felt bad about it.

"It's fine Cloud, I can walk home." She saw him frown and put his drink down.

"Don't worry Teef, I don't mind picking you up. Besides, Mom would kill if she found out you walked home." Tifa smiled and rolled her eyes playfully.

"If you're sure, then I guess you can pick me up." He chuckled.

"So you're giving me permission to pick me up?"

Tifa was about to answer when Aeris voice interrupted. "Tifa, table 7 needs you. And make sure you don't get on Elena's bad side. Tseng asked her out the other day, but completely blew her off in front of his friends. What jerks! Hi Cloud, Marlene...and who's this?"

Tifa smiled. "This is Denzel." The boy muttered a shy hello to the green eyed girl.

"Nice to meet you Denzel. Oh dear, table 10 is being such a pain, I gotta go. Oh, and Zack called earlier. He was looking for you." Aeris disappeared to serve, and Tifa sighed then turned back to the three.

"Alright, I have to get back to work. Barret will kill me if he finds out I'm slugging around. Pick me up and 6 alright Cloud?" He nodded and pulled his keys, watching as Tifa said her goodbyes to the children.

Things had been fairly well the last two months. Tifa and Yuffie's spirits had risen due to Ray's death. His funeral had been short and the girls couldn't have been more relieved to see the bastard's body lowered into the Planet.

The people who knew of their abuse, were relieved as well. Cloud also noticed a connection between the four of them: Marlene, Tifa, Denzel and himself. Barret had become even more busy with work, and had been starting to travel to look for oil fields, leaving the children with Emily some days.

Things were starting to look up and hope was an emotion that had begun to spread throughout them.

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_Sorry for it being so short! Forgive me!_


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